Rosberg to watch Melbourne from the couch

Nico Rosberg has no plans for the 2017 season opener in March except for "sitting on a couch".

"I'm just going to be at home, sitting on a couch, watching TV," the reigning world champion, who stunned the F1 world by quitting just days after winning his first title, told CNN.

Former Mercedes driver Rosberg, however, admitted that watching Melbourne on television as the new champion is "going to be strange".

But "I'll be excited to see the new cars and the battles. I'll definitely be following," Rosberg added.

Some have surmised that Rosberg only ever intended to emulate his father's achievement of winning the title before retiring, while others think he baulked at the extraordinary pressure of taking on Lewis Hamilton.

"The pressure and the intensity were unbelievable," Rosberg admits. "There were some really hard moments along the way.

"To lose to Lewis in the two championships prior was very, very tough," he said. "It's really not easy to handle.

"Even when I crossed the line (in Abu Dhabi) I wasn't happy. I was relieved in the first instance."

So for now he will be happy to watch Melbourne from home, albeit indicating that he wants to return to F1 with a role in the future.

"I want to be involved in the sport in some way," Rosberg said. "I know I'll be a fan of our sport."

But as for racing, he insists it's over for now.

"I have a go-kart in the south of France so if I feel the need to drive, I just go up there with friends," he said. "Apart from that, nothing at the moment.

"What I need is competition. There are other sports I also have passion for. I know that even if I play tennis I can get a similar sort of thrill and fun out of it. So let's see."